Nissan Z Nismo gets a manual gearbox - UK still gets nothing
Nissan adds a manual option to the Nismo Z at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon, but the Japanese sports car remains forbidden fruit in the UK
Apologies for readers not based in North America, but we bring you news of a sports car you can’t have: The updated Nissan Z Nismo. To rub salt into the wound, it’s going to be offered with a manual gearbox and borrow some parts from the now dead GT-R.
This comprehensive refresh addresses a number of the original’s shortcomings, only starting with the addition of the six-speed manual alongside the nine-speed auto. The newly available six-speed manual has been engineered specifically for the Nismo, boasting an uprated clutch and a revised linkage for a much shorter, more precise shift stroke. Nissan has also tweaked the 3-litre V6’s throttle and ignition mapping for sharper, more aggressive response. Power and torque remain 420bhp and 384lb ft of torque.
The brakes of the original weren’t great either, with a tendency to wilt under heavy track use. The steering also lacked the ultimate fluidity of Europe’s best, specifically the now-departed Porsche Cayman. Happily, Nissan’s engineers seem to have taken those criticisms to heart, as the 2027 update targets both of these complaints.
The Nismo has received some serious hardware upgrades courtesy of its big brother. The front brakes take the two-piece iron-aluminium brake discs from the GT-R, which improve cooling, while Nissan claims will reduce pad temperatures on track, too. They also reduce unsprung mass by 8.6kg.
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To maximise the weight reduction at each corner the suspension has been recalibrated. Revisions to the steering rack have been introduced to reduce internal friction by 20 per cent, which should provide a more fluid and communicative feel.
Under the bonnet is a twin-turbocharged V6, specifically the VR30DDTT unit that powers high-specification variants of the Infiniti Q50 and Japanese-market Nissan Skyline. Power stays at 420bhp and 384lb ft of torque, up 20bhp and 34lb ft over the standard car. This was achieved by increasing boost pressure and turbine speed, while it also employs a GT-R-inspired ignition spark timing strategy and an uprated oil cooler for extended track sessions.
Elsewhere in the 400 Z line-up (which we also don’t get in the UK), the standard Z Sport and Performance models receive a styling refresh inspired by classic Z-cars, featuring a split front grille and a new Shinkai Green Pearl Metallic paint option. Performance models also benefit from larger monotube dampers for improved ride and handling, while all 2027 models gain a redesigned fuel tank to prevent starvation during high-G track cornering.
Nissan’s new Z line-up will make its debut at next month’s New York Auto Show and arrive in US showrooms in the summer of 2026. We’re not holding our breath for it to arrive in the UK any time soon to fill the void left by Toyota's Supra and the Porsche Cayman.
